Andrew Kerr, Returning Officer for Edinburgh, said: “The role of elected members is extremely important to the democratic process, with councillors responsible for some of the most important decisions our city can face.

“Therefore I would encourage as many residents as possible to participate in the Leith Walk by-election, and for anyone who hasn’t already registered to vote to make sure they do so by 26 March to ensure they can take part.”

Residents in this ward who haven’t already registered to vote must do so by 26 March in order to take part in the by-election. This can be done online or by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on 0131 344 2500.

Anyone living in the area who is aged 16 or over and an EU citizen can vote in the by-election, and votes can be cast by post or by proxy if more convenient.

Poll cards will be delivered to registered voters in the area from today (Monday, 11 March) including further information on when and where to vote.

The by-election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters can rank candidates in order of preference using numbers rather than a single cross. Voters can choose to vote for as many or as few candidates as they like. The result of the by-election will be announced once the votes are counted after polls close at 10pm on Thursday 11 April.